Hyde
by tv'slasthope
Summary: Set between season 6 of Buffy and season 3 of Angel. Buffy and Spike are surprised to find Angel in Sunnydale one night. Angel has learned new truths about his curse causing both teams to need each other like never before against the rage to come.
1. Interlude

**Hyde**

**Disclaimer**: Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and any other related characters are property of Joss Whedon. I do not own anything. I don't own the music to Jekyll and Hyde. Those rights belong to Frank Wildhorn and his associates.

**Summary**: Good vs. Evil. Angel and Angelus battle for control and everyone else gets caught in the middle.

**Rating**: R. For some strong language and some graphic fight scenes.

**Notes**: Set during Buffy Season 6 and Angel Season 3. This originally was meant for another story. But, now it has worked its way into its own fan fiction. Just a few heads up: Connor was born. Darla never died and has teamed up with Drusilla. This fan fiction is what I would have done if Buffy had not moved from the WB.

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**Interlude:**

Spike pushed open the door of his mausoleum and slammed the door behind him. As he walked away from the door he suddenly stopped and felt an unknown presence. He knew he wasn't alone. "Whose there?" he asked into the darkness. Spike could see someone in the darkness. The moon light revealed the outline of someone's shoulder. Spike quickly opened his weapons chest and removed a crossbow. "I won't ask again." He said in a stern voice while aiming the crossbow at his target. "Who are you? Show yourself!" Finally, he saw two arms rise up, "Whoa!" replied the man standing in the shadows. "Calm down! And put down that crossbow that is very unlike you." Spike lowered the crossbow and looked at the person who now stood before him in the moonlight.

"Angel?"

"The one and only." Angel responded with his arms wide open.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Spike asked.

"Hey, why are you acting so touchy? You never used to act like this."

"Why are you here?"

"God, what's wrong? I can't come back to Sunnydale and visit an old friend? Calm down! You're acting like such a little school girl." Spike put down the crossbow.

Angel sat down on one of the tombs. "I've been waiting for you to get back for two hours. Nice place you got here. I guess?" Angel said looking around. He turned back to look at Spike who was putting the crossbow away.

"Where do you keep the liquor in this joint anyway?" Spike looked back up from his weapons chest and looked at Angel weirdly. "Wait a minute. I thought you gave up drinking and everything. Part of your 'I- will- separate- myself- from- everything- that- makes- me- a- vampire' program."

Angel smiled, "What, a guy can't have a drink from time to time? Well, doesn't matter. I wasn't all that thirsty anyway." Spike turned on a light.

"Why did you come all the way from Los Angeles to here?" Spike asked.

"To visit friends of course." Angel replied.

"Oh."

"And." Angel continued, "To share something with you." Spike pulled out a bottle of bourbon and placed it in front of Angel.

"There's yer liquor, mate. What is it that you want to share with me? Make it quick I've got an appointment."

"Is that so?" Angel replied taking a slug from the bottle.

"Who's your appointment with?"

"No body important." Spike replied. Suddenly the door opened and Buffy walked in and was surprised to see Angel.

"Angel?" Buffy said calmly and surprised.

"Is this, who you call 'No body, important,' Spike?" Buffy looked at Spike quickly in fear. Angel didn't notice.

"Yeah!" Spike said, "The Slayer is no one important any way. Why are you here? What do you want?" Spike said to Buffy angrily. In understanding Buffy replied as angry as Spike, "I came to get information." She replied.

"Alright!" said Spike, "One person at a time. What did you want to tell me?" Spike asked Angel.

"Well first, I think I'll say hello to Buffy here first. Hello 'honey'." Angel said to Buffy while he gave her a quick kiss on her lips.

"Alright, you've done that now. What is it you want to tell me?" Spike asked annoyed.

Angel laughed and crossed his arms behind his back as he walked over to Spike until he was eye level with him. "Stop pretending, Spike. I know you've been screwing my girl." Angel said as he turned and walked into the shadows. Both Spike and Buffy stood in shock, their mouths wide open as Angel stood in the darkness. "How did you find out?" asked an incredulous Buffy. Angel turned around quickly and in his hands he played with a cigarette pack. "Cigarette?" He offered to both of them. "Yeah." Said Spike as he took one and lit it. Angel took out his lighter and lit up his own.

"Angel, how do you know? How did you find out? Stop playing around." Buffy said. Angel puffed out a spray of smoke and snapped the Zippo shut and put it back in his pocket. "You know what is funny? That neither of you have tried to deny it yet. I find that strange." He said with a slight whisk of a laugh in his words

"What? Stop, this is unlike you."

"And it's unlike you to act like a two dollar hooker and have sex with one of your worst enemies." Angel replied taking another puff from his cigarette. Buffy stood shocked by his statement.

"Oh grow up, little girl. This isn't high school anymore." Spike threw his cigarette out of his mouth. "Hey! Watch what you say to her!"

"Shut the Hell up, Spike!" Angel replied.

"How do you bloody know?" An enraged Spike demanded.

"Temper, temper, Spike." Angel said mockingly to him with a grin.

"Damn it!" Spike shouted, "How did you find out?" Angel very calmly took another drag from his cigarette and gently breathed the smoke out. "I've recently had an understanding of something. An epiphany if you'd like. Spike, in both of our bodies there resides a demon, a second soul that replaced the first and from whence all our evil acts come from."

"Yeah, why the demonology lesson? We already know that. Get to your point!" Angel continued while letting a waft of smoke spiral out from his mouth. "Well, in my case we all know that my soul since its restoration has given me back my conscience, and the demon inside of me hasn't been able to do a damn thing about it for all of these long years. But, what if I told you that while that demon has no power, and I am with my soul and feeling my curse; that demon is still active, in hibernation if you will. Just waiting for the right moment to be set free. What if I were to tell you, that like the internet, all vampire demons are connected to a source that feels all, sees all and knows all. And that source lets that demon know what has been going on in the entire world. Especially, what's been going on in a certain little town in California. That's how I know." Spike and Buffy looked at Angel in fear. "Alright." Said Spike, "I've got a "what if" question of my own for you. If you know all that, then you must be right now, Angelus. Right?" Angel took another calm drag from his cigarette and gently breathed out the smoke. He then removed himself from the shadows and exposed his face in its full vampire ferocity. "Exactly!"

Angelus rushed forward and tackled Spike, crashing through the wooden door and out onto the grounds outside. Angelus sat up on top of Spike, pinning him down with his left hand as he raised his right fist. "That concludes our class for today." Angelus announced as he pummeled Spike with his fist. Buffy came rushing from behind, stake in hand. Angelus finished beating Spike and stood up straight abruptly and quickly spun around and kicked the stake out of Buffy's hand. He launched forward with his left fist and punched her in the face. He quickly turned around and saw Spike was unconscious and then turned to fight Buffy.

Angelus quickly walked forward and grabbed Buffy by the lapel of her coat and threw her across the cemetery grounds. He followed after her stumbling form.

"You know, enemies are not supposed to sleep with each other right?" Buffy quickly got to her feet and stood ready to fight him. "What happened to you?" she demanded to know. "How did this happen to you?"

Angelus stood ready as well. "It was your betrayal! And these latest acts of- prostitution- sent Angel over the edge until I couldn't stand to hear his whining anymore! It so overwhelmed him… me, that soon-there was no place else for him to turn. Except for me of course." Buffy was surprised at what she was hearing. Had Angel willfully allowed himself to become Angelus? Was that possible? This was too much. She swung a kick at him, he blocked it. He turned and backhanded her with his fist. He grabbed her by her hair, pulled her back to him and punched her in the face. He kicked her in the stomach, grabbed her by her wrist and forced her back towards him. He punched her repeatedly across her face. Back and forth, with the front of his hand and then the back of his fist. All the while, he did it with a straight emotionless face. He showed no mercy or any other reaction to the fight. He seemed to act as if in a trance. Buffy fell to the ground, her left eye slowly becoming swollen shut. Blood trickled down her nose, cuts on her cheeks and her lip started bleeding. He kicked her in her ribs. Buffy howled in pain and cradled her painful side. She thought she heard a rib crack. Angelus bent down and grabbed her by her hair again. "Is this the way you like to be treated, Buff? Huh? To me manhandled?

"What has gotten into you? Angel!"

"I'm not Angel!! There's only Angelus! There's always been Angelus!!!!" He shouted.

He lifted her up by her hair; grabbed her by her shirt and threw her into the wall of a mausoleum. She fell to the ground disoriented. Buffy couldn't think. Angelus' return and attack had completely disoriented her. She sat up on all fours, trying to block out the pain.

"Buffy!" Angelus turned and was soon engaged by a recovered Spike. Spike gripped Buffy's lost stake tightly as he thrust the sharpened object at Angelus' chest. Angelus side stepped it, only to be slashed across his chest. Blood spilled out like water. Spike thrust again, but his arm was blocked by Angelus. Angelus brought his elbow down on Spike's straightened arm and broke it at the elbow. Spike howled in pain as Angelus pushed him forward, punching him in the face. "When I'm done with you there won't be enough of your face for people to recognize!" Angelus punched Spike in the face. Angelus punched left then right. Continuously over and over again until long cuts appeared on Spike's face. Blood splattered like vomit from Spike's mouth, nose and face. Angelus kicked him to the ground. He grabbed a rock and knelt over him. "Did you think you could just shack up with her? 'Shag her' while I wasn't here? Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" Spike spat blood into Angelus' face. Angelus brought the rock down across Spike's face. Up and down, back and forth blood splattering into the air and all over Angelus' face, clothes and the rock.

Buffy had recovered and moved quickly as she could to come from behind. She desperately grabbed Angelus from behind. She tried desperately to tare Angelus off Spike by interlocking her arms under Angelus'. Angelus grabbed her by her arms and threw her over his head. Buffy felt herself fly through the air and then felt gravity take hold of her. She fell on her back, landing on top of a grave stone. The hard stone buried itself into her back. She heard something pop or crack. Whatever it was she couldn't tell, the pain was too much as it suddenly came instantly. She groaned and yelled in agony, unable to move. Some how over her own howl of pain, she heard Angelus approaching slowly. He knocked her off the stone and she fell onto the ground. Painfully, Buffy rolled onto her back. If she was going to die, she would look him straight in the eye.

"Why?" she asked weakly in pain.

"Why?" Angelus repeated while lying down on top of her. He traced a finger gently across her blood stained face. "To teach you a lesson. You're mine, Buff! Mine and only mine! No one else's!" Buffy looked at his crazed eyes with her swollen ones. She was in too much pain to show fear.

"How...Did…you…-" Buffy gasped out painfully.

"What?" Angelus interrupted, "Did I come back? Not sure of that yet. Still looking into it. But, look on the bright side of it, I'm back!" A devilish smile appeared on Angelus' face as he played with her hair. He took his blood stained finger and put into his mouth. He slurped it as he sucked Buffy's blood off of it. "Still the best vintage." He whispered into her ear softly. He laughed at her quietly. Buffy moved her head away from him so that she wouldn't have to look at his eyes. _"You never know what is lurking behind the façade."_ He whispered into her ear. Buffy breathed heavily with fear and pain. He was going to kill her. She was going to die again. She didn't fear death, but this time it was coming to her as the face of the man she once loved. Or still loved? Or loved? It was his face that Death decided to wear. She prepared herself; waiting for her heart beat to stop at any moment. Surprisingly the vampire face disappeared and Angelus' lips approached hers. He kissed her deeply and passionately, like the way that she and Angel had always done in the past. Then, he moved from her lips and started to kiss her cheek, slowly moving down toward her neck. Covering every area in kisses.

An arrow suddenly shot threw the air hitting Angelus in the arm. His vampire features returned and dominated his face. He shot up from the ground roaring like a lion. "Buffy!" yelled the familiar voice of Cordelia Chase. Buffy could hear the rushing feet of other people approaching. Angelus scanned the area. He could see Wesley approaching from the rear. Gunn and Fred coming from behind him. Giles and Willow approaching from behind Cordelia. "We'll have to finish this another time, lover." If they were here who knew where the rest of Buffy's friends were? He could hear them. He bowed like an actor and ran off between the large gap between Wesley and Cordelia. Cordelia fired another bolt from her crossbow as Angelus ran away. It bounced off of a statue, barley missing him. He ran off into the darkness; jumping over statues and grave stones as he went. Too fast for the others to catch up with him.

Cordelia immediately rushed to Buffy's side. She looked into Buffy's face. She almost turned away from the sight that she saw. She had never seen someone so badly and brutally beaten. For it to be Buffy was almost overwhelming. Her face had swollen up and huge bruises covered both her eyes. Bruises seemed to cover every inch of her face. Her lips were chapped and bleeding. There was a cut over her left eyebrow. Blood slowly made its way down her nose. A large gash had opened up on her left cheek. Buffy lay still, panting quickly. "My God, Buffy." Cordelia said with concern as she put the crossbow down and started to assess Buffy's injuries. Trying to help her in anyway she could. Buffy moaned in pain where ever her hands touched. Giles suddenly was behind Cordelia. "Good Lord!" Giles was completely shocked. "If we don't get her to a hospital soon, she's going to meet up with the Good Lord." Cordelia said.

Giles immediately took off his coat and wrapped it around Buffy. He picked her up as carefully as he could. Buffy felt the pain all over. No matter how careful Giles was, the slightest touch caused the sharpest pain. Giles saw her exposed stomach littered with purple bruises, slowly turning black, in the shape of fists. "How is Spike?" Giles called out as he took control of the situation. He quickly started moving towards his car. Cordeila was right on his heels. "Unconscious and badly beaten." Willow called out. "Cordeila, Wesley, you two must come with me! Willow, help Spike and then go home to Dawn immediately! Call Xander, Anya, and Tara! Let them know what has happened."

Giles laid Buffy gently down onto the back seat of his car. Cordeila jumped in the back to hold Buffy there in place. "Gunn, Fred, as soon as you're done with Spike here, go with Willow! You can trust her." Wesley directed. Wesley jumped into the passenger seat just in time as Giles floored the gas toward the hospital.

It had been very dramatic from Buffy's dazed eyes. Giles had brushed in, with her cradled in his arms. She was immediately put onto a stretcher and wheeled away. Giles, Cordeila and Wesley had all sat patiently in the waiting room. In that time Giles had given a call to Buffy's house. Everyone was safe. Willow assured him that she had reversed Angel's welcome on the Summer's house. Spike was there and Dawn was frightened out of her mind for Buffy. "Oh, and Xander really wants to kill Angel." Willow noted to Giles. Willow informed him that she was coming down soon with Dawn to the hospital to see Buffy. "It would be best if you came in the morning." Giles informed.

Hours passed when the doctor came out and told Giles that he could see Buffy. They ran to her room. Bandages were wrapped around Buffy's head and hands. Tiny drops of morphine dripped into a tube connected into her arm. She was asleep. "How was she attacked?" the doctor asked. "She was mugged." Cordeila quickly responded. They answered all of the doctor's questions and he left. Giles looked at Buffy, his slayer, the girl who he regarded as his own daughter. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Cordeila, how did this happen? How did Angel lose his soul?" Cordeila sighed with frustration. "The truth of the matter is." Cordelia began meekly, "It was all lurking behind Angel's soul. And we didn't even know it."


	2. The Barrier

**Chapter I**

**The Barrier**

_Three weeks ago:_

Everyday and every night, he would yell, scream and rant. He was always in the back of his head, always infiltrating his thoughts and dreams with his harsh and hateful words. _"LET ME OUT!"_ he was constantly demanding. Demanding to be set free so that he wouldn't have to feel or hear the goodness he saw and heard from every person **he** met. He wanted to be set free. Constantly he took a sledge hammer to the wall that barred him from taking control of the body. Every smashing blow wouldn't even dent it. The soul was too firmly in control. Too strong. But, the one thing he couldn't block out was…ridicule! He would shout and scream, take God's name in vain, make fun of every human being he had ever killed. Going into great detail as to how he had made the person suffer and die.

When this got too much, Angel had a weapon to fight back with. Whenever Angelus would become too loud, Angel walked to his vast library, sat down and started reading. Angel would begin: _"In the beginning there was the word…"_

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_ Angel laughed with the knowledge that even the strongest demons like Angelus could not stand up to the Bible. After awhile, Angel had to put the book down. He was not worthy to read those pages. And he could feel the pain that the words caused. Plus, his hands smoked so much that they threatened to burn the book. As soon as the feelings of guilt arose, Angelus pounced on them. Taking them as renewed energy and vigor to continue his battle with the soul. _"I will escape!"_ Angelus shouted through the corridors of Angel's mind. Angel walked to the door, _"No, you won't!"_ he said to himself as he left.

Cordelia looked up from the front desk as Fred came rushing in, a giant smile on her face. "Hey! Look whose back." Cordelia said with a giant smile.

"Hi, Cordy." Fred hastily set down her purse and things on the main desk. Cordelia leaned over at the bundle of things that were in her friend's possession.

"So how was New York? What was it like?" Fred's smile became expanded as she laughed a little. "Oh my God! It was spectacular. Nothing like here. There were bright lights everywhere when it got dark. I loved it!" Cordelia saw the number of things that Fred had brought from her trip. _Gifts, yippee!!!_ Cordelia's inner child squeaked. "What did you and your parents do while you were there?"

"I saw only what I now consider to be the greatest play in history!"

"Which one did you see?" Cordelia asked with anticipation.

"My parents and I won a contest from a local radio station. We won tickets to see the musical _Jekyll and Hyde_!"

"How was it?" Cordeila asked.

"Fabulous! I loved it so much I got the CD and bought the book."

Cordelia shot a smile, "Jekyll and Hyde! I've always wanted to see that play. I want to hear it. Come on, Angel actually broke down and bought a CD player last week." Cordelia took Fred's hand, like she was a high school kid, and they both ran into the opposite room to play the CD.

Angel opened his eyes and lifted his head off the pillow. _"Evening soul boy."_ Angelus said mockingly. Angel scrunched his eyes and rubbed them. Angelus had become more vocal of late. He always had heard him before. But, he seemed more loud and boisterous. It was like a voice echoing through a cave. Angel got up and headed for the closet. _"Hey, I got an idea for tonight."_ Angelus began._ "Let's go get smashed tonight, find a beautiful woman and have a fun, __happy__ time with her."_

"_Shut up, Angelus!"_ Angel said through his mind. Almost on cue Angelus began to rant. _"YOU DAMNED LITTLE SON OF A BITCH! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOUR PATHETIC, WEAK SOUL! LET ME OUT!"_ Angel smiled cynically as he chose what he would wear for the night. He loved ignoring Angelus. It always drove him crazy. _"Do I have to start reading The Bible again?"_ Angel said slipping on his clothes and shoes.

"_Let me out!"_ Angelus demanded; seething in anger. _"Let me out! Or, I'll go into great detail again how I killed your sister! Again."_

"_Rot in Hell!"_ Angel said opening his bedroom door and walking out.

"_We did that already. Remember?"_

Angel walked down the stairs. To his surprise, he could hear music blasting from one of the rooms. He knew he shouldn't have gotten that CD player. Cordelia would disturb his silence with her playing the Hell out of it.

"Animals trapped behind bars at the zoo. Need to run rampant and free! Predators live by the prey they pursue. This time the predator's ME!" Angel walked to what was dubbed the "Entertainment Room" in the hotel. He walked in and saw Cordelia with a blanket thrown over her shoulders. She held it around her face like she was Bela Lugosi playing Dracula. Fred pretended to look like she was afraid; the whole time with a huge smile on her face. A smile appeared on Angel's face as he laughed at the situation.

"_Damn they are so hot! But they'll never equal up to Buffy."_

"_Shut your mouth Angelus!"_ Angel yelled in his mind

Cordelia saw Angel out of the corner of her eye and shrieked with laughter. "What?" She yelled with laughter. Fred turned and shrieked as well, giggling. Cordelia pressed the pause button on the CD player. "Angel. Hi, didn't see you there." Cordelia said laughing. Angel smiled at her and Fred. "Glad to see that you're back, Fred. How was your trip?" Angel inquired. Fred looked away shyly and embarrassed. She gave Angel a huge smile. "It was great!" She replied while sitting down on a small couch.

Angel walked further into the room nearing where Fred was sitting, "What were you guys listening to? It sounded thrilling." Fred handed him the CD case. "Jekyll and Hyde." Angel said reading the title, "This was an excellent book. It's one of my favorites." The music suddenly blared again very loudly. "Whoops!" Cordelia yelled. "Must have put it on a slight pause delay."

"_Humans trapped behind bars at the zoo! I love it too!"_ Angelus said as he suddenly injected into Angel's thoughts his most detailed and gruesome memories of men and women that he brutally and slowly tortured to death for a month during a short incursion into Poland. Angel almost gasped, but his exterior features revealed nothing to his two friends.

"_Quiet!"_ Angel shouted back in his mind. Angel walked out of the room, just as the music was stopped and picked up his coat. "Sorry about that." Cordelia said.

"What's on tap for tonight, Angel?" Fred asked coming out of the entertainment room.

"Hunting for Drusilla and Darla." Angel replied while slipping the coat on.

"_Oh Hell! Not again. Do we have to keep doing this?"_ Angelus complained as he attacked the soul barrier again. As Angel headed for the doors, the echoes of Angelus' ranting reverberated down the corridors of his mind.

***

"Where are they?" Angel shouted at the vampire.

"Won't tell you! Don't trust you!" the vampire replied. This was the third vampire tonight that Angel had tracked down. The vampire no longer had a face and both his legs were broken. But he still hadn't cracked yet. Angel pushed the vampire's arm up behind his back. He pushed until the vampire's arm broke. The snap of the bone echoed through the ally way.

"Come on Lenny! Don't make me break your right arm again!" Angel threatened.

"Stake me! I won't tell you a thing! I will not betray the mistresses!" Angel's stake popped out of the sleeve of his jacket. "Have it your way!" Angel replied as he stuck the stake right into Lenny's back. The vampire screamed and exploded into dust. Angel brushed the remains of the vampire off of himself.

"_Hey! You didn't try any of the other torture tips I gave you!"_ Angelus said to Angel.

"_Shut Up Angelus!"_

"_No! You drag me a long and expect me to sit around and do nothing. Come on soul boy, we're a team."_

"_No we're not. Just shut up."_

"_You almost had the bastard. And you stake him instead of breaking all of his bones. You could have ripped out some arteries if he didn't break after that."_

"SHUT UP ANGELUS!!" Angel screamed out loud.

"Starting to talk to yourself, Angelus?" Angel whirled around and looked into the darkness. In the pale moonlight, Angel could see the sultry walk of Darla, moving ever so slowly in the night. She was graceful and beautiful, an enticing woman who could lure any man. Her clothes, her words and actions were a greater temptation then Eve's. But, underneath, lay a predator who was calculating and patient. Darla, a serpent disguised as a goddess. Behind her, moving ever so slowly was Drusilla. Her head raised high; her stride filled with pride, dominance, forbidden knowledge and power. They stopped. Drusilla walked forward, like she was dancing with each step she took. "Daddy must be going crazy. Have you started to hear voices in your head? They can be quite entertaining. Just watch out for them in your dreams." Drusilla took Darla's hand and began to circle around her the way a dance partner would circle their partner. "Have you finally started to lose your mind, Angelus?" Darla asked teasingly, "Crazy enough for another round with me in the sack?" Angel began to circle the dark vampires. "It ends tonight, Darla."

"Oh, but, precious, you say that every night. Getting tired of being on the couch?" Darla said insultingly.

"Enough of your prattling, Darla!" Angel commanded.

Darla replied with her confident smile, ear to ear, evil and seductively. "Very well, Angelus, dear. Drusilla." The dark brunette turned to Darla.

"Can I show him my new toy, mummy?" Drusilla said innocently.

"Of course my dear." Darla replied. Drusilla laughed and clapped her hands together. Then, she looked at Angel with a crazed sadistic smile. Angel stood his ground; prepared to face whatever Drusilla had to throw at him. Drusilla's face changed to her vampire features. Angel concentrated on her eyes, waiting. Without even making a move, Angel was suddenly thrown back into a wall. He then felt himself propelled forward into the sky and thrown against another wall. He suddenly felt gravity take hold of him and he fell to the ground. Angel wasn't sure if he felt the pavement crack under him. What he could tell was that his arm was broken, along with his back and shoulders. He also felt a crack in his skull. Normally, ordinary wounds like this would kill a human being. Being the undead he instead felt the excruciating pain. It would take a while for his vampire powers to heal the injuries. For the moment he was at Darla's and Drusilla's mercy.

"Do you like Drusilla's new trick?" Darla asked. Darla smiled at Drusilla. "She's been developing it for some time now. Telekinetic powers: the ability to lift things with your mind. Who ever thought Drusilla's ability to see into the future would lead to her discovering that kind of power?"

"Did my angel enjoy his surprise?" Drusilla asked insanely. Angel could not move, nor could he speak.

"Nothing more to say, Angelus? Then I guess the game continues for another day. Until then." She bent down and lustfully kissed his lips. She then signaled with her head for Drusilla to follow her. "Tell that son of ours I said hello." Darla said. The two vampires left the broken Angel in the ally way.

"_Bitch."_ Angelus cursed. He turned his thoughts toward Angel. _"Well, that was interesting."_ Angelus declared to Angel.

"_Shut the Hell up!"_ Angel replied in his mind.

"_Is that all you've got? Just remember who does all the healing around here."_

"_Guess who doesn't have a choice."_ Angelus' consciousness turned to the problem of healing and mending the broken body. Angel's teeth gripped with the tightening of broken bones snapping back into place. Angelus knew this would distract the soul's thoughts. _"I know something you don't know." _he said to himself, beyond the abilities of the soul to hear.


	3. The Return of Angelus

**Chapter II**

**The Return of Angelus**

_Sunnydale Medical Center, the Present: _

Pure light hit Buffy's eye lids, causing her to squint and close them tightly. She slowly felt every nerve in her body come to life as she slowly regained consciousness. Her whole body felt like a dead weight. Her mouth was dry and lined with mucus. She was terribly thirsty. She tried to move and found that she moved too quickly. Her head spun and a grip of nausea hit her stomach. She quickly laid her head back down and retreated back into her heavy sleep. The world felt like it was one continuous ring of water that was constantly forming and expanding.

"Buffy?" The familiar voice of Cordelia Chase queried. Buffy scrunched her face and tried to change her position. She hadn't heard Cordelia's voice in while. She realized she had not seen her in a while either.

Cordelia got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Buffy's hospital bed. She had seen her stir in the bed and attempt to get up. She walked over and took hold of the bed guard and watched Buffy closely.

Buffy slowly began to move her dry lips. Her mouth felt arid and a bad metal like taste made it difficult to swallow.

"Cor..Cor...Cordy…" She said weakly.

"What, Buffy?" Cordelia leaned in so that she could hear Buffy better.

"Thirsty. Water…please." She said weakly, almost begging in fact.

Cordelia quickly turned to the wheel away table and poured water into a cup. She inserted a straw and put it to Buffy's lips. "Drink." Cordelia urged. Buffy rapped her lips around the straw and sucked the water out. She mainlined it, allowing the cool water to fill up in her mouth and slowly drain down her dry throat.

After a moment she stopped and, with a shaky hand, took hold of the straw and removed it from her mouth. Cordelia replaced the cup back on the tray. Buffy squinted and rubbed her eyes with her hand. "Help me lie up and give me something to wipe my lips with." Buffy requested.

Cordelia handed Buffy the bed adjustor and handed her the tissue box from the tray. Buffy elevated the bed up to a comfortable position. She gladly accepted a tissue from Cordelia and wiped her lips clean. She reached over and grabbed the cup and finished the remaining water in it.

"Looks like someone is regaining their strength." Cordelia noted.

Cordelia sat down at the foot of the bed and looked at Buffy. The two young women looked at each other. Buffy gave her a small, weak and tired smile. It had been a very long time since either of them had been alone and around each other in a very long time.

They seldom had spent any time together in friendship in the past, both of them hung with different people. But Buffy found herself suddenly remembering that it was Cordelia who was the first to welcome her to town. At another time, Buffy and Cordelia probably would have been best friends, but because of the different groups they ran with, that did not happen.

There were times when they were like friends, but it was more the reality of _"You're dating Xander for some reason. I'll tolerate your presence and won't say anything."_ And now, here they were three years after graduation and Cordelia was, from Buffy's perspective, guarding or looking out for her. She had saved her life after all.

"Hi, haven't seen you in a while." Buffy finally said, managing a small smile.

Cordelia returned the smile. "Same here." she replied.

Buffy pushed a lock of hair back and sighed. "Where is everyone? Are they safe?" Buffy asked. Cordelia shook her head yes, but lowered her head and took a quick look at the sheets on the bed.

"What?" Buffy asked. Cordelia looked Buffy right in the eye.

"They are all searching for Angelus." Buffy looked off for a moment at the corner of the room and then looked to her left.

"Oh no." She said. Buffy immediately began to unhook the tags and monitors that were connected to her chest and finger to monitor her heart rate.

"Buffy, what are you doing?" Cordelia said, surprised by Buffy's sudden surge of energy. Buffy threw the blanket off her legs.

"I have to go. They don't…" Buffy had swung her legs over the bed and tried to stand, but in the same instant, she had fallen to the floor. Cordelia immediately rushed to her side to try and help her back up to the bed.

"Buffy, you can't go anywhere, you're still badly injured, especially your back. You have to give yourself time to heal." Cordelia explained.

"I'm the Slayer, I have to go. He'll kill them." Cordelia managed to help Buffy sit and lean against the bureau next to her hospital bed. She realized that she was going to need help from an orderly to get her back in the bed. She placed both her hands on Buffy's shoulders, seeing the deep rooted determination in her to move, but her body was still too weak. The phrase, _"the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak"_ suddenly had a whole new meaning to Cordelia.

"Buffy, I know you want to do something about this, but even the slayer needs to let stitches heal. You could have been killed last night." Buffy shook her head reluctantly in agreement and swallowed hard. She was weak, not only physically but her spirit had been wounded. Her senses had been shocked into inaction by Angel's sudden return, only to find out, too late, that Angelus once more ruled the body of her old friend and former lover.

Surprise and shock were two words that did not help explain the situation she found herself in. Cordelia could see this written all over Buffy's face and body language. The same emotions were in her as well. She wished she knew what Buffy was thinking, because all that pulsed through her heart, blood and brain were fear and betrayal. Fear of Angelus and his next move. Betrayal from Angel for letting the beast out once more.

Cordelia reached over the bed and pressed the button, calling for assistance. A nurse came and Cordelia explained that Buffy had fallen out of bed while sleeping. The nurse called an orderly. Buffy was helped back into her bed, the monitors and I.V. bags all reattached and replaced. Buffy was tired and her lower back pulsated painful stabs up her shoulders and neck.

Cordelia now sat closer seeing that Buffy looked dejected and confused. Buffy looked back at Cordelia. It was then that Cordelia finally saw for the very first time, as so few had seen, how vulnerable Buffy really was. The glimpse was so sudden. Cordelia wondered why she hadn't seen it before. She looked like she would crack into millions of pieces at any minute.

Sadness, confusion and maybe even a hint of despair lurked in Buffy's features. Her eyes were glazed over. Cordelia wondered for the first time if there was something more to the beating that Buffy took from Angelus. From what she had seen so far, the way the blows were inflicted and the mix of emotions that Buffy now felt, was it the equivalent of rape?

Cordelia leaned forward and hugged Buffy. Buffy accepted her embrace, leaning her head down on Cordelia's shoulder, sniffling a little. Buffy found herself glad to be in her embrace.

"You're safe, Buffy. Please believe that." Cordelia said reassuringly. Buffy leaned back and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you, Cordy. Thank you for your help, but no. Neither of us is safe. We won't be safe until we've captured Angelus."

"I know." Cordelia answered. Buffy shook her head once more, as if she was trying to shake herself from bad memories. She ran her hand over her face once more, tired and in pain.

"How did this happen?" She finally asked Cordelia

"We don't know exactly. But let me fill you in on what we do know."

*****

_Los Angeles, Four Days Ago:_

Connor walked through the main doors of the Hyperion. He had been out conducting his own patrol. Every night, unbeknownst to his father, he would sneak out and patrol. During those patrols he would train himself with selected weapons from his father's weapons bureau. He had some training before and he familiarized himself with the technique of each weapon. He would practice how to use each weapon and inflict its deadly potential against his opponent. He had not been involved in any major engagements, yet. But he wanted to be prepared for anything. Soon, this city would be his and his alone, its one and only protector.

"And where do you think you're coming from?" Cordelia asked. Wesley looked up from the text he was reading, he had been so engrossed that he had not heard Connor come in.

"What's going on?" Wesley asked.

"Nothing I can't handle." Cordelia replied.

"Oh yes, of course not. Wouldn't want to get in your way." Wesley said annoyed. Cordelia eyed him weirdly. What was that about she wondered. Something to handle later. Connor was the priority here now.

"Where were you?" Cordelia asked, crossing her arms in front of her, "And what are you doing with that battle axe?"

"Battle axe!" Wesley said, popping his head up again.

"What does it matter to you where I was? It's none of your business." Connor icily replied.

"You're my best friend's son and seeing how I am the closest thing you have to a mother right now, you'll answer my questions." Cordelia demanded to know.

Cordelia's own forcefulness surprised her. She sounded like her old nanny, one of the few people in her life who did not put up with any of her childhood banter or immaturity. One of the first women to ever tell Cordelia the word "no" and meant it. That woman was more like a mother than her real mother. In fact, that tone of voice, which she used against Connor now, was how her nanny often talked to her when she did something wrong. If only her old friends, Xander and the gang, and all of her false friends from high school could see her now.

"What's going on?" Angel said painfully as he suddenly appeared at the front entrance. Cordelia had been worrying, the sun was coming up and Angel had not arrived home during his usual time. She wondered what had been keeping him. The question was quickly gone the moment she saw him.

"Nothing." Connor answered back, annoyed.

"He's trying to take weapons." Cordelia answered. Angel stood firm staring Connor down, but Connor only defiantly stood before him, unmoving and matching his father's gaze.

"I welcome you into my house, you spurn me. Now, you're stealing from me and for what?" Angel criticized as he slowly made his way from the front entrance down into the hallway.

"Isn't it obvious why I am? I'm meant to replace you. I will be your better and this will be my city to protect."

"You will do nothing. And you won't do it with my weapons." Angel countered.

"What are you going to do to stop me?"

"I'm your father; that should be all that I need to stop you."

"You're no father of mine. To give yourself such a title would imply that you're alive. You're not! You're not even human! You're not even living or dead! You're some sort of freakish paradox."

Angel reached forward and ripped the weapon from Connor's hand, holding it up closely to Connor's face.

"Get. Out. Of. Here!" Angel ordered evenly. The young man scoffed in Angel's face, a smile of superiority and confidence meant to belittle his father and his companions. He walked around Angel, shrugging off the rest of the team of Angel Investigations. He brushed past Fred who was on her way in from getting things from the store. He nearly knocked her down as he past her.

Fred quickly regained her balance, surprised by the young man's immature bravado and intentional carelessness. She stared at the rudeness of the young man who left. She turned from the brazenness of Connor to seeing the scene to which he had left behind. She could only wonder what he had left in his wake this time.

Cordelia looked on surprised and hurt. Hurt that Connor would say such things. She felt the pain of her friend as she stared into his face. Angel was looking down, slowly processing the words of his son. He tried to betray nothing, but Angel could only feel disappointment and sadness. Rejection, it was an emotion that Angel knew all too well, but one that he had not encountered for some time. It stabbed at him and reminded him of all his failures. This rejection reminded him of his failures as a son, a lover, a friend and mentor. He felt inadequate.

"Angel." Fred said breaking the silence.

"Forget it." Angel said dropping the axe and his other weapons on the floor and began heading to the stairs. He walked past Cordelia who, though still in shock, saw up close how bloodied Angel's clothes looked. She realized that Angel wasn't walking but rather was limping. The preoccupation with Angel's son had distracted her to his present appearance. It wasn't uncommon to see his clothes ripped, damaged or bloodied, but he looked more so.

"What happened to your leg and…?" Cordelia began to ask as she saw the remains of a large gash across Angel's forehead that had extended down all the way near his eyes.

"_Isn't her concern sweet? It would be so delicious to gorge on her you know."_ Angelus mocked.

"_Shut up!"_ Angel's voice echoed back at Angelus' mocking and irritating voice. Angelus, though formless, was everywhere and nowhere within Angel's body. His ethereal spirit was once more repelled by the soul barrier, which kept him from influencing the world.

"Angel" Cordelia said again in concern, he seemed to be suddenly day dreaming and ignored the fact that she was there.

"Hmm." Angel answered back.

"You seemed to drift off there. Are you alright?" Cordelia asked.

"I'm fine." Angel replied.

"How did you get those injuries. How did that happen to you?"

"Drusilla happened to me, okay. She has some kind of new power."

"New power!" Wesley suddenly said. Angel could tell that the Watcher within him was suddenly curious.

"Yeah, she's developed some sort of telekinetic power. She literally lifted me off the ground."

"Telekinesis!" Wesley repeated as a large book fell on the table in front of him after he finished his statement. Angel continued up the stairs.

"Do you need help?" Fred asked.

"No!" Angel answered back annoyed as he ascended up the stairs to his room. Cordelia had followed after Angel and now stood on the first step of the staircase. She was speechless and she stood in silence, leaning against the banister.

"Well, now I think I know where Connor gets his stubbornness from." Fred said, again breaking the silence, causing Cordelia to laugh. It had been another long night, but the sun was starting to fill the streets, changing a dark sky to a slowly changing blue one. Another night had passed for Angel and a new day began for them.

******

_Sunnydale: Three Days Ago_

Buffy sat on a park bench allowing the golden warmth of the sun wash all over her. The sun focused and warmed the top of her head, making her feel warm all throughout her body and caused her to feel goose pimples all across her skin. She felt odd feelings all throughout her mind and stomach. She still felt depressed, angry and most of all empty. She felt hollow and darkness filled her whole being. And no matter what she tried to relieve those feelings, it always fell short.

Her life was a mess, the understatement of the century. There was nothing unusual about her life being a mess but it was more terrible then any other time before. She had been dead, dead, buried and gone. But more importantly, she was happy. Some part of her knew that she had been happy and completely content. Now, it was gone, gone with only a faint memory.

What ever she had experienced, what ever had happened it was infinitely beyond her. And she blamed her friends for this, all though she would never tell them. She blamed them for going against the natural order of things; for playing with nature and reversing its judgment. She could hear Angel in the back of her mind; quoting from the Bible old passages that he had taken to heart a long, long time ago. They were passages that he had chosen long before she had even been born. Her mind was suddenly filled with a tune that he had sung once. It was the only line she could recall:

_For everything there is a season._ She hummed the music to herself and what lines she could remember, but the one line she remembered best ended the song and added to her depression: _A time to be born and a time to die._

It had been her time to die! She was let go; she had been released, emancipated from her duties and no longer a slave to them. She had felt the very essence of happiness, happiness that was joy! She was joyful. Now all she felt was misery and a depression that knew no bounds. She rose from the bench and slowly tentatively walked away from it, her arms crossed around her. What was she thinking? What did she want? She wanted to get away, be safe and happy again. But where could that happiness be found? And when it came to Spike, why did she feel that what she was doing was so wrong and revolting and yet she could not stop herself? Did all of her answers lie in the shadows?

*******

_Los Angeles: Two Days Ago_

Angel awoke, the phone ringing distantly and increasingly over and over again. It was far away, in another area of his pent house. Where was every one? Why was it so quiet? He arose from his bed and slowly made the slow trek to his office, the phone ringing more and more. He reached the office, opened the door and walked in and picked up the phone,

"Hello?" He asked. "Hi, Willow. What's up? Do I really want to know what's up? I guess so. I don't think it will hurt me. Yeah. Spike has been helping you guys out. … You went up against a demon who made everyone sing and dance. Weird. Buffy did what? This is not some sick joke is it? … **They did what!** What? Am I angry? No, as long as Buffy is happy I'm glad. Thanks Willow. Take care."

Angel smashed the phone into its cradle as he hung up, crashing it into pieces. Angel walked around the desk trying to keep his composure. "_Are you angry?_ He repeated to himself. "Yeah. I'm just fine!" Angel broke the desk in half. Then walked back to his room with an angry gait, walking in and slamming the door behind him.

"Am I fine? No!" Angel picked up a chair and threw it across the room, smashing it and his bureau mirror. He walked over to his closet and angrily and almost ripped open the door. Some terrible monster was going to pay the price for this.

"_I'm not really sure what I should say here. I mean, I actually kind of sympathize with you…a little."_ Angelus said.

"Shut up, Angelus!" Angel said as he pulled his pants on.

"_What? I agree with you. The little bastard has no right putting the moves on our masterpiece. She's ours, ours to do with as we please. We have to do something about it."_

"She doesn't belong to anyone you sick freak. Buffy –''

"_Don't tell me you actually believe what you are about to tell me. Doesn't it boil your blood? The rage working its way up from your belly, that's growing greater and stronger. I can see the images beginning to form in your mind. I know because they are forming in mine. I know you want to punish them."_

"Shut up!" Angel answered back sharply as he pulled on his coat.

"_Don't you see, those images that you've pushed from your mind so you don't have to think about them. Well, they are mine now. I am the collector of those thoughts. I am the back of your mind. My, my, Liam, what dirty, filthy, degenerate thoughts we create. We're more alike then you realize. Have you ever stopped to think about it? You and I are one and the same. We are the same! Let's go make her ours again! Don't you want revenge? It's what I want and I know that deep down, you want the same things that I want."_

"Shut up!" Angel said as he moved for the bedroom door. From Angelus' perspective, he thought he could hear some sort of reservation, a hesitance, something that sounded like an agreement. He knew that he had gotten to the soul. He knew his words had a strong effect on Angel. In the place where Angel could not hear him, Angelus once again attacked the barrier, the mystical and magical energy that separated him from the body. He attacked and attacked, but the wall would still not give way. Angelus stopped, resting. Damn the soul, damn it! He was about to take up the attack again when he stopped. He examined the barrier a little closer this time. He drew closer to it. There was something different.

"_It's cracked."_

********

Angel had made his way down to the main hallway of Angel Investigations trying to compose himself and to find the right weapons that he would use tonight. As he entered the hallway, he once again took note as to how everything seemed quiet, too quiet to his liking. He walked to the weapons chest and opened the first door.

"_Angelus."_ He heard in a whisper. He turned; he was alone in the building. He looked to his right and then his left. Nothing and no one was there. He turned back to the chest and opened the second door.

"_Angelus."_ He suddenly heard the whisper again, causing him to look all around him. What was that whisper, what was it saying?

"_Angelus."_ The whisper said again, only closer. Angel thought he could hear the words to the song of "ring around the rosy." In the purgatory, the prison that Angelus was kept in, he looked up suddenly, astute and aware.

"_Yes, I hear you."_ Angelus whispered into the ethos, as he once again attacked the barrier, a hole forming. He eagerly attacked again and again, a gleeful satisfying smile appearing. _"Here's something to think about."_ Angelus said as he thought of the worst possible image that he could imagine and then he sent it straight into Angels' psyche. Angelus could hear the voice getting closer and closer. And the barrier become weaker and weaker.

*********

Angel almost doubled over; some hideous and terrible image had suddenly invaded his mind. But what also sent a shiver down his spine was that he could finally make out what the voice was saying, it sounded like a little girl and she kept repeating over and over the name of the beast.

"_Angelus."_

_Angelus."_ Angel could all of a sudden feel some sort of burning in his stomach, and it felt very familiar. The burning and pain intensified and it sent Angel to his knees.

"Oh, No!" he begged, "Oh, no! How can this be happening? Oh God, how is this happening?" during all of this time the voice continued calling his other persona.

"_Angelus."_

"_Angelus."_

"_Angelus."_ Angel began to writhe in pain trying to fight back the demon inside of him. While trying to do this, Angel started running every which way knocking over things in his path. He fell to his knees again.

"No!" he yelled, "I won't let you out! I won't let you hurt anyone ever again!"

"_Oh yes!"_ Angelus cheered as the barrier started to faded before him.

Angel's face went into his knees, fighting every step of the way, trying to stop the beast within him from escaping from its prison. Finally, Angel stopped yelling, and a deep and complete silence enveloped the entire room.

"_Angelus, it is time!"_ The voice calling his other persona spoke again in a more serious and adult tone of voice. Silence soon followed. Like a thunder storm suddenly passing and dying away, resulting in only complete quiet.

"Free!" Angelus stood straight up in full vampire face. He looked around, taking in the full site around him. And he found it to be very good, very good indeed. He had finally returned! And freedom never looked so good. Angelus looked up into the air.

"Nice try Angel. But, I guess you're still weak. Now you can watch, from where ever the hell you are as I tear your friends into tiny little pieces and kill your one true love. It's going to be so much fun, wish you were here, hero." He blew a kiss into the wind and immediately began to ascend the stairs. If he was going to carry out his plans, he would have to look the part.


End file.
